Go, Tell!

Thirty plus people along with table, tracts, cart, and water bottles tap through the turnstiles and board the A train to ride downtown to 42nd Street, Times Square. A lone singer stands in the chosen spot by the Port Authority Bus Terminal, so we string out with the commuters moving through the tunnel toward the 7, 1, 2, 3, N, Q, R, and the shuttle to Grand Central. A mother runs past us in the opposite direction, pushing her cart of churros. A little girl runs beside her. Behind her a black, shaggy-haired small boy turned man pulls an ice chest. He’s running too, from the authorities that want them cleared out. I want to sweep these children into my arms and keep them safe, but our group moves on until it halts by the stairway going down to the 7 train.

We sing, “Power in the blood; amazing grace; how sweet the sound; love lifted me; do Lord, do remember me.” One Pentecostal fellow passing by shows us how we could be dancing about, but it is not our custom. There are thumbs up and smiles and those who make the Sign of the Cross. People drag suitcases, push strollers, and carry bags. There are families and couples, mentally ill, and preachers (if I judge their dress correctly). Some sing along. Others video the group.

Meanwhile, Gospel tracts and children’s Bible story books were reaching the multitudes. Our Ghanian friend Eric faithfully passed out tracts. It was only a few months ago that he received a tract here in this subway station. Through this, Eric met Jesus and now, he’s sharing the joy. Tony  sang along with the group, also there because of tract outreach. The brothers and sisters took their turns. I passed out a few with the usual results of heads shaking no, or hands outstretched, and some with eyes averted. But hands down, DeeDee passed out the most tracts, literally jogging to and from the tract table to restock after having given out a bundle. DeeDee worships with us because one of the young men invited her to church.

Laurence and I went downstairs to the 7 train when the group went for a service at the Bowery Mission. We left Manhattan and rode out to 74th Street in Queens where we transferred to an R train.  It blessed my heart to see one of our tracts on a ledge as we rode down the escalator, and the information about the mission location in another place in the station. The tracts handed out yesterday didn’t just stay in Manhattan but could be going into all the world.

God’s Word will surely not return unto Him void. Pray for the work and the workers in the City, and thank you to the Gospel Tract Board for their vision of fields white for harvest.

Berniece